Susan Brooks

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the outstanding work of the AbilityOne Program and Bosma Enterprises in my district, in Indiana. AbilityOne is an outstanding program committed to providing employment opportunities for people suffering from vision loss. Since 1915, Indiana's very own Bosma Enterprises has been a partner of the program, with the goal of changing lives. In fact, Bosma is Indiana's largest employer of people with vision loss, helping acclimate over 700 people last year alone and helping over 50,000 people find employment since it started. It is about more than the numbers, though. Take Chris McKirahan. She was born with glaucoma, meaning she had the eyes of an 80-year-old at the time she was born. At the age of 43, she lost all of her vision and began orientation and mobility training at Bosma Enterprises. Following that training, she began volunteering as a Braille and keyboarding instructor. In November of 2010, she was hired on full time as a production employee; but she continues to volunteer in her free time, teaching Braille and keyboarding in the very center she graduated from 4 years ago. Madam Speaker, it is my honor to extend my support to the AbilityOne Program and Bosma Enterprises. They are differencemakers; they are changing lives.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to congratulate the Indiana Wesleyan University Men's Basketball team for winning the NAIA Division II national championship. I am proud that the IWU Wildcats hail from Marion, Indiana, in my District. The Wildcats not only crushed the Midland University Warriors on March 18, 2014 and earned their first national championship, but they also ended the season as the No. 1 team in the NAIA poll, the third time the team has held this honor. The Wildcats had an incredible season, becoming the first team to win all five tournament games by double digits and finishing the season with an outstanding 31-6 record, this season's highest Division II men's basketball win total. Coach Greg Tonagel led the team to victory and was named the NABC/NAIA Division II Coach of the Year. However, Coach Tonagel's award was one of many for the Wildcats this year, as senior Jordan Weidner was the 2014 Championship Most Outstanding Player, Lane Mahurin won the Championship Hustle Award, and the IWU Wildcats won the Dr. James Naismith/Emil Liston Team Sportsmanship Award. The sportsmanship award speaks to the integrity and hard work exemplified by each and every IWU player throughout this phenomenal season. They set a wonderful example for the entire Marion community and most especially their young fans. My home state of Indiana has such a rich basketball heritage, and I am joined by Hoosiers across the state in celebrating Indiana's only 2014 Men's Basketball Championship. The Wildcats' unique approach to the game is exemplified by the team's motto of ``I Am Third''--God first, your teammates second, and yourself third. This inspiring motto is prominently displayed in the locker room and on the team warm-up shirts which are emblazoned with ``Team 3''. Once again, congratulations Indiana Wesleyan University, we are very proud of you and look forward to cheering you on through another great season next year. Go Wildcats!

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my Hoosier colleague, Representative Todd Young's excellent bill, the Save American Workers Act of 2014. We are a country built on hard work. We are a country where people want to work. But right now, the Affordable Care Act is stopping people from working the hours they need and the hours they want to work. By redefining a full-time employee as someone who works 30 or more hours a week, the Affordable Care Act has caused workers' hours to be reduced in vital industries across the Nation. 2.6 million workers are losing because of this provision. America is losing because of this provision. A school employee from my district in Elwood, Indiana, recently shared with me the pain losing 10 hours from her workweek has caused. She said: It just doesn't make sense to me. I'm trying to be a self- supporting person and was doing good. It could have been better, but I was making it. How am I supposed to pay a house payment, utilities, car insurance, let alone food? This is an unwise provision that must be repealed. That is why we must take action and restore the traditional 40-hour workweek. Let's pass the Save American Workers Act of 2014. If we do, our workers win, our employers win, and our Nation will win.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today to say ``no more.'' I want to thank my dear colleague, Representative Reed from New York, for bringing the attention of this body and to the country to this campaign of no more to sexual violence. It is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and we need to take this opportunity to speak harsh but true words. Every 2 minutes, which is about how long my remarks are going to be, another American is sexually assaulted. That is 237,868 victims a year. This is a crime that touches people of all backgrounds and all walks of life. Madam Speaker, we have a sexual assault crisis in this country. It is time to do something about it. It is time to say ``no more.'' Perhaps nowhere is the pain and suffering caused by this crisis more apparent than on our great college campuses. Nineteen percent of women on campus--almost one in five--will be the victim of an attempted or a completed sexual assault during their college experience. Madam Speaker, we have a sexual assault crisis on our college campuses. It is time to do something about it. It is time we say ``no more.'' As a mom who has sent two kids off to college in recent years, these numbers scare me. I know the truth of these numbers, having counseled one of my daughter's friends in college about 4 years ago and having recently counseled the mother of another person who had been assaulted on a college campus. This makes me angry. There is no excuse in this country for this problem. There is no valid reason for anyone to look in the other direction or to pretend this problem doesn't exist. Let's once and for all say ``no more'' to this problem. We have to work together. I am very pleased that the Democrats and the Republicans in this body are working together. We have to offer victims more support. We have to bring offenders to justice. We have to analyze these daunting statistics and find real solutions. Eighty-four percent of women who experience sexually coercive behavior while in college are victimized during their first four semesters on campus. Forty-three percent of sexual victimization incidents on campuses do involve alcohol by the victim and about 69 percent by the perpetrator. Let's have a real conversation with our freshmen and with our young people in college about those risky decisions that they make. More than half of the raped college women tell no one about the horrendous crime that can change their lives forever. We have to support the organizations, coalitions, and families that are helping these women--and yes, some men--and empower them to come forward and seek justice. That is only a part of the healing process, but it is a critical part. No one should get away with sexual assault. We have to say ``no more'' to free passes. We have the greatest university system in the world. We educate the best and the brightest. We graduate 21st century innovators with the talent and the dedication necessary to make our Nation and world a better place. Surely, this is a sad challenge that we can work together on to address. This is an opportunity for us to say ``no more'' and mean it. Let's take this opportunity. We have a sexual assault crisis on our college campuses, but it is also in our Nation, so let's do something. I want to thank my colleague from New York for leading. Let's say ``no more.''

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, March is Red Cross Month across the country, and as chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, I would like to take some time to recognize the accomplishments of the American Red Cross and its volunteers, everyday heroes. Last year, Red Cross and volunteers responded to over 60,000 emergencies and provided over 900 shelters to people forced from their homes. Following the Boston Marathon bombing last April, the Red Cross provided 500 units of blood products to Boston-area hospitals. They played a pivotal role in sheltering families in my district in Indiana during last year's winter holiday floods. I visited the Red Cross national headquarters, where I toured the digital operations center and saw how they are utilizing social media in their operations. I am grateful for their achievements in educating Americans on how to prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters. This organization and their volunteers exemplify the everyday heroes as they lead the way in disaster preparedness and response, and we must all thank Red Cross. I urge my fellow Members to visit chapters and to follow them on Facebook and Twitter. Please visit and thank them for all the work they are doing in our communities.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4275) to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for cooperative and small employer charity pension plans.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 4275.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4275, the Cooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension Flexibility Act. Madam Speaker, like most Members of this body, I meet with charities, schools, and cooperatives throughout my district on a routine basis when I am back home in Indiana. I often ask them what Washington can do to facilitate their mission or ask about the obstacles that they face when trying to serve their communities. To my surprise, frequently over this past year, their answers revolve around the uncertainty and the burden of their pension funding requirements. This was somewhat of a shock to me, but I soon found out that some charities, schools, and cooperatives are actually shutting down summer camps, cutting back on services to the community, or raising prices just to meet their pension obligations. And for what? To protect the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation because their plans are unsustainable or underfunded? No. It is because they will soon be lumped into more onerous funding requirements found in the Pension Protection Act, known as the PPA, and are making decisions today that reflect that assumption. In fact, Congress has already exempted these organizations and found that multiple employer cooperative and charity plans have unique missions, limited participation, and sufficient precautionary safeguards, and that, by design, pose little risk that they will be unable to pay benefits in the future. Unfortunately, this exemption is set to expire soon and will require pension providers to unnecessarily overfund their plans, rather than using those funds to support services to our communities. If this were allowed to happen, the results could be catastrophic. For instance, in my home State of Indiana, rural electric cooperatives alone could be forced to needlessly increase their pension contributions by up to 50 percent, costing them $12.7 million a year and adversely affecting over 1,800 employees in Indiana alone. Now, it is no secret that the PBGC is facing significant problems that require a comprehensive solution, and I applaud Dr. Roe, Chairman Kline, and Ranking Member Miller for their leadership on this issue. The bill, however, only affects 30 plans and just over 127,000 active employees, and the very design of the plan shelters the PBGC from almost all risk. However, without this bill, some Christian schools or some United Way chapters across the Nation will be forced to meet costly regulations directed toward at-risk, single-employer plans. Madam Speaker, forcing charities to overfund their already solvent plans is not only wrong from an actuarial standpoint, but from a moral one, as well. For instance, Jewish Federations across the United States don't needlessly overfund their pensions when that money could be going to their mission of providing urgent support for Jews in Ukraine or possibly helping Holocaust survivors age with dignity. These are the types of consequences that are going to take place if we don't pass this bill. And subjecting rural telecom companies to PPA rules would force them to shift funds from critical services and hurt their ability to provide pension benefits to their current workers. Our bill injects certainty and sensibility into the multiple-employer pension world by simply allowing plans that are already exempted from the PPA the flexibility to stay excluded permanently or elect into the PPA structure if they wish to do so. That is why it is called ``flexibility.'' This bill helps cooperatives, schools, and charities do what they do best: provide quality services that enrich our communities and our lives. This is something that government cannot do, and it is something we need to help facilitate. I urge all of our colleagues to support the Cooperative and Small Employer Charity Pension Flexibility Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. I yield as much time as he might consume to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline).

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time. I would like to thank my distinguished colleague from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind) for co-leading this important effort with me. He has worked tirelessly in championing and raising awareness about this issue. Without his work, we would not be here today, and I thank him for his passion and his expertise on this difficult subject. Congress faces many difficult challenges, but the fact that we can come together in a bipartisan way to craft solutions for our country should be the norm and not the exception for this body. I hope this will set an example for what we can accomplish when we put partisan bickering aside. I know there are other pressing issues we can work on together to move our Nation forward. In closing, I would just encourage my colleagues to support this commonsense bill that will save taxpayers money, enhance communities across America, and encourages co-ops and so many charities to continue to provide their employees with economic security in retirement. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rife today to pay tribute to Dr. Beurt R. SerVaas of Indianapolis, Indiana. He passed away on February 2, 2014, at the age of 94. Beurt was an exceptional civil servant, businessman and philanthropist who was devoted to bettering the city he loved. He served both Indianapolis and his country with integrity and honor. A lifelong Hoosier and resident of Indianapolis, Beurt graduated from Shortridge High School and later from Indiana University. After completing his degree, he bravely served in the United States Navy during the Second World War as a member of the American Intelligence Command's Office of Strategic Services in China. He later continued his service to our nation as a member of the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency. Returning to Indianapolis, Beurt began his storied career as a businessman in 1949 when he purchased his first company. Over the following decades, he would buy and sell nearly fifty businesses in Indiana and around the world, including the venerable Saturday Evening Post. An avid learner, he obtained his M.D. in his forties from the university he helped create, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Beurt SerVaas exemplified the best of the Hoosier spirit: hard work, determination and entrepreneurship. Beurt was not only a business leader, but also a civic leader whose work fundamentally shaped the city of Indianapolis Along with then- Mayor Richard Lugar, he was instrumental in the creation of Unigov, the government consolidation that expanded the boundaries of Indianapolis to include all of Marion County. After the transition, Beurt served on the City County Council for forty years, including twenty-seven as the president, and served under four different mayors. I was immensely proud to work with Beurt during my time as Deputy Mayor of Indianapolis. He was always kind and generous, and he provided invaluable guidance on how to keep the residents of Indianapolis safe and secure. Dr. Beurt SerVaas is an irreplaceable pillar of the Indianapolis community whose legacy will continue to inspire Hoosiers for generations to come. Without his tireless devotion and visionary leadership, Indianapolis would not be the world-class city it is today. He brought the world's attention to his beloved hometown and helped Indianapolis compete on the global stage. My condolences and well wishes go out to his wife, Cory Jane SerVaas, his five children, his nineteen grandchildren, and his two great-grandchildren. My thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 150th anniversary of Omega Christian Church in Arcadia, Indiana. It is a pleasure to congratulate the church in celebration of this special occasion. Omega Christian Church was founded during some of our Nation's darkest days, in 1863 during the midst of the Civil War. At the time of the church's founding, the area was known as Bethany, but later became called Omega and is now Arcadia. Exemplifying the best of the hardworking and enterprising Hoosier spirit, the residents built the church themselves using local timber. Joseph Lacy oversaw the construction, and Dr. Silas Blount gave the dedication sermon in November of 1863. It was in this humble wooden structure that Knowles Shaw (1834-1878), an early minister of the church who was a prominent evangelist and composer of religious music, wrote the hymnal ``Bringing in the Sheaves.'' In the years following the war, the community around Omega Christian Church began to grow and prosper. After construction was finished on the church, a sawmill, general store, resident doctor, blacksmith, and post office were also established. In 1926, sixty-three years after the completion of the original structure, the church was moved and enlarged to make room for the growing congregation. The framework and sanctuary of the church are original and are still in use today, making the Omega Christian Church the oldest building in White River Township. The church continued to grow and expand throughout the following years, including major structural improvements. While the physical building may have changed and evolved, Omega Christian Church's mission remains the same from its founding in 1863: to serve God, to serve his people, and to be a light in the community where stability, comfort, strength, and family can be found, all in the name of Jesus Christ. Today I am proud to recognize this small country church and thank them for their contributions to the spiritual well-being of their community. May the next 150 years be equally blessed.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 3826 because, late last year, the EPA Administrator, Gina McCarthy, went on a listening tour through America to hear from the public about reducing carbon pollution from existing power plants. Unfortunately, the Administrator declined to go to those States most affected by the proposed regulations and, instead, opted to visit San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston. It is unfortunate that her stops didn't include places like my home State of Indiana, which stands to lose much from these misguided regulations. If Ms. McCarthy had taken the time to visit Indiana or other States like Indiana, she would have heard from people like Nina, in Anderson, who wrote me an anxious letter about what penalizing the coal industry would do to families on fixed incomes. She explained her church already has had to help many families pay for their electric bills, and she worries about how her community will cope when the EPA's new regulations are enacted. I wish I could tell Nina not to worry, but, sadly, her fears are very much warranted because the new regulations will have catastrophic impacts on our Hoosier economy. The State Utility Forecasting Group at Purdue University has estimated that, like Ohio, Indiana's electrical rates will increase 32 percent by 2023 because of EPA rules. The price increase will hurt every Hoosier who turns on a light switch. It will also cost up to 17,000 jobs in Indiana and permanently ruin the prestige that our State enjoys as being one of the Nation's most business-friendly States. That is why I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important bill, which finally puts the brakes on unchecked EPA regulations and injects much-needed congressional oversight and consultation into the rulemaking agenda. We all have an obligation to leave the world a better place for our children and future generations, but we can't do it when we take away jobs and hurt the economy. That is why I support this bill, and I encourage all of my colleagues to do the same.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about fairness, to talk about individuals, many from my district, who are being treated unfairly because of the President's health care law. Marjorie, from Carmel, recently wrote to tell me that coverage on the exchanges for her family will cost at least $1,500 a month. Her husband recently lost his job in the health care industry, and she has two kids in college. Her only option may be to go without health care and pay the penalty to the IRS. For Marjorie, ObamaCare is not fair. Mr. Speaker, too many Hoosiers, too many Americans have similar stories. The President has delayed the employer mandate for businesses twice, but he has offered no such relief for individuals who are struggling. That is why Republican Study Committee Chairman Steve Scalise and I have introduced the FAIR Act. This simple bill ensures that whenever the ObamaCare employer mandate is delayed, the individual mandate will be delayed as well. House Republicans understand that fairness means not treating people differently. It means government cannot pick and choose which laws apply to which Americans. Mr. Speaker, let's pass this commonsense piece of legislation. It is the fair thing to do.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mrs. BROOKS

Mrs. BROOKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1791, the Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act, introduced by my colleague and the former chairman of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, the honorable Congressman Bilirakis from Florida. This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to make it clear that grant funds under the State Homeland Security Grant Program and Urban Area Security Initiative may be used to enhance medical preparedness and purchase medical countermeasures. The Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications Subcommittee held a series of hearings in the 112th Congress on medical preparedness. The subcommittee heard about the importance of medical countermeasures from representatives of the emergency response community, and this bill is in response to those concerns. In August, I held a field hearing in my district looking at central Indiana's ability to handle a mass casualty event. Like the witnesses who testified at the hearings held in the 112th Congress, these witnesses at the field hearing stressed the importance of building medical preparedness. As a result of this bill, grant funds could be used for items such as pre-deployed medical kits for first responders and their families, caches of equipment, training and exercises, and planning activities. The grant guidance for these programs currently allows funds to be used for medical preparedness equipment and activities. This bill codifies those activities to ensure that they will continue to be allowable, and it will not cost any additional money to do so. We have seen the benefits that grant funds, including those used for medical preparedness activities, have provided when it comes to response capabilities. This was clearly demonstrated in response to the Boston Marathon bombings. We know that the threat of chemical or biological attack is real. In fact, my subcommittee will be holding a hearing next week to get an update on the bioterrorism threat and preparedness here in this country. We must ensure that our first responders have the tools and capabilities they need if such an event should occur. This bill has the support of several first responder groups, including the International Association of Emergency Managers, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the Emergency Services Coalition for Medical Preparedness. I will insert their letters of support into the Record. H.R. 1791 was approved by the Committee on Homeland Security last year by a bipartisan voice vote. I am pleased that, during the markup, the committee approved an amendment offered by the ranking member of the subcommittee, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), to ensure that in addition to protecting first responders funds can also be used to protect vulnerable populations such as children. I urge fellow Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Emergency Services Coalition for Medical Preparedness, April 26, 2013. Hon. Gus Bilirakis, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Bilirakis: The Emergency Services Coalition for Medical Preparedness is pleased to support the Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act. The events of the last two weeks again demonstrate the need for immediate, at hand protections for our emergency services personnel and their families and households. The Congressionally-chartered WMD Commission has issued warnings for years about the continuing threat from biological weapons. Emergency services professionals are uniquely expected to continue operating in hazardous conditions when others are sheltering. Whether responding to industrial fires, bombs placed in cities, or other situations with unknown secondary risks, the protections described in the Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act will enable emergency services to more confidently carry out their tasks. Pre-event medical caches have been provided for federal workers and hundreds of postal employees. Your bill addresses the lack of protection of the millions of local and state protectors who daily provide law enforcement, public works, emergency management, fire, rescue and emergency medical services. The Coalition looks forward to working with you and your staff in passage of the Bill. Thank you for your leadership and continuing support for ``protecting the protectors.'' Sincerely, Tim Stephens, Advisor.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. BROOKS

Mrs. BROOKS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1791) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to codify authority under existing grant guidance authorizing use of Urban Area Security Initiative and State Homeland Security Grant Program funding for enhancing medical preparedness, medical surge capacity, and mass prophylaxis capabilities, as amended.

Mrs. BROOKS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman from Florida noted in his statement, this bill passed the House the last Congress by a bipartisan vote of 397-1. I hope Members will once again express their support for the men and women who protect us every day by voting for this bill. I want to thank my ranking member for his dedication and his commitment to protecting the protectors, as he so eloquently stated, and we certainly request that our fellow Members support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a fellow Hoosier, Colonel Joseph F. Lampert, on the occasion of his retirement from the United States Army after 36 years of faithful and dedicated service to his country while also working tirelessly as an educator and leader in his community. Colonel Lampert, the grandson of hard working immigrant grandparents, was born and raised in Indianapolis and is a graduate of Cardinal Ritter High School. Upon graduation, Colonel Lampert continued his education at Indiana University. Colonel Lampert put his education on hold to enter military service by enlisting in the United States Army and serving as a Pershing Missile Crewman in Germany. Upon completion of his initial enlistment, Colonel Lampert returned to Indiana University and completed a bachelor's and master's degree in education and began his education career as a teacher and later as an administrator with the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township, in Indianapolis. In 1984, Colonel Lampert again answered the call of duty for military service by enlisting in the United States Army Reserve. After serving for a year, Colonel Lampert received a direct commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Adjutant General Corps. During his tenure with the United States Army Reserve, Colonel Lampert served in a number of command, administrative, and operational staff positions with the 123rd Army Reserve Command in Indianapolis; 70th Training Division in Muncie, Indiana; 21st Theater Support Command in Indianapolis and Kaiserslautern, Germany; Eighth United States Army, Indianapolis and Yongsan, South Korea; 377th Theater Support Command, New Orleans; 100th Training Division, Fort Wayne, Indiana and Owensboro, Kentucky; and 78th Training Command, Fort Dix, New Jersey. Colonel Lampert is concluding his exemplarily military career serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff-G1 with the Military Intelligence Readiness Command at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. While serving as an educational administrator, Colonel Lampert was mobilized on three different occasions to Fort Benning in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm, to Germany and the Balkans in support of Operation Joint Endeavor/Forge, and to Germany and Turkey in support of the Global War on Terrorism. In each instance, Colonel Lampert served with distinction. Colonel Lampert's exemplary military service earned him numerous awards and decorations including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal with silver oak leaf cluster, and the Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters. Throughout his illustrious career, Colonel Lampert has worked diligently to implement improved operational training processes and procedures to improve unit readiness and enhance success on the battlefield. On behalf of the people of the great Hoosier State and a grateful nation, I commend Colonel Joseph F. Lampert for his many years of dedicated service to our country. He has demonstrated exceptional meritorious service during both his educational and United States Army career. I wish the very best to Colonel Lampert, his wife, Jaye, and their two adult children, Joseph E. and Jacqueline.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Indiana's outstanding first responders and emergency management officials because, when times truly get tough, we rely on them to protect our loved ones, neighbors, and friends, and we rely on them to save lives. This past week, a nearly unprecedented wave of frigid temperatures and snow bore down on the Hoosier State. In Madison County, Indiana, windchills plummeted to nearly 40 degrees below zero. In Hamilton County, Indiana, more than a foot of snow made roads unpassable. At one point, there were more than 70,000 power outages in our State, and schools actually still remain closed even today, for the entire week. Fortunately, Hoosiers were able to rely on a coordinated and effective response from government officials, first responders, utility providers, and volunteers. They relied on our National Guard, which stepped up to assist in clearing roads. They relied on police officers and firefighters, who went door-to-door. They relied on the Red Cross, which set up numerous emergency shelters. In Indianapolis, they relied on the Mayor's Action Center, which took more than 10,000 calls to address their concerns. It is times like these when we are reminded how much we rely on our emergency management people. We rely on them to be ready, and they always answer the call. For that, we are so grateful.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, we still have a lot of improving to do. While last week's job report showed some encouraging signs, there is more work to be done. What are House Republicans doing to help? Well, for one, we want to get government out of the way of economic growth. We want to curb the excessive regulations coming out of Washington, D.C. We want to protect Americans from the harmful effects of ObamaCare. And with so many Americans still struggling to make ends meet, it is not fair that Washington Democrats want to force people to pay more for their own health care. What is more, policy cancelations and technical problems have left many Americans unsure if they are even covered at all. That is not going to help our economy. We need real pro-growth solutions that will create more jobs and give all Americans a shot.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Florida, Chairman Miller, and Subcommittee Chairman Runyan for bringing up this important piece of legislation today, S. 1471. Mr. Speaker, during this season of Christmas, we seek to surround ourselves with our family and friends to give thanks for the blessings in our lives. But unfortunately, one family from my district will be spending yet another Christmas season without their wife, without their mother, without their daughter-in-law because of a senseless act of violence that took place at an apartment complex in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 30, 2012. On that date, Michael Anderson, a deranged Army veteran, went on a shooting rampage that took the life of Alicia Koehl, who was an apartment complex manager. After taking her life, he also severely injured three others. Mr. Anderson shot Alicia 13 times before taking his own life. Alicia's killing left a hole in communities throughout Indiana. She was not only a mother to two young children and a loving wife but she was also a Girl Scout leader, the Volunteer of the Year at Spring Mill Elementary School, and an active member of her church. Paul Koehl, Alicia's husband, provided testimony to the House Veterans' Affairs Committee that Alicia was the ``glue that held our family together.'' He continued that her motto in life was ``live, laugh, love'' and that the saying could be found in almost every room of their home. He finally relayed her contagious optimism by telling that her smile and gentle nature never failed to light up a room. So it is no wonder that her passing triggered an outpouring of sympathy throughout the State, with candlelight vigils being held and the Indianapolis City Council formally memorializing her as someone ``whose very presence in the community is a stabilizing influence which lends a sense of purpose and direction.'' Mr. Speaker, you can only imagine the indignation when, in the midst of their grief, family and friends found out that the killer of Alicia was allowed burial in a national cemetery with full military honors. This is in spite of a Federal law explicitly forbidding the Department of Veterans Affairs from interring anyone who has committed a capital crime, including those never formally convicted. At the request of Alicia's family and friends, Senator Coats and I began working on this case to rectify the mistake made by the National Cemeteries Association. The NCA informed us that they lacked the authority to disinter Michael Anderson or the ability to rectify their horrific mistake if something like this should ever happen again. Mr. Speaker, this is unacceptable. I am outraged not only that the Koehl family has had to endure yet another injustice after Alicia's life was needlessly cut short but also that our brave servicemen and - women who, in some cases, have given the ultimate sacrifice to their Nation are buried next to a murderous criminal. The legislation before the House today will simply give the Department of Veterans Affairs the ability to reconsider interment of veterans who lost their privilege of interment in our national cemeteries by committing a capital offense. Our Nation's cemeteries shouldn't be tarnished because of a legislative technicality, and the bill before us will close this loophole. Our bravest men and women should be buried next to fellow heroes, and today we can make sure they always are. So I am proud to be a sponsor of the House version of this bill that garnered the support of all Hoosier Representatives, and I want to thank them for coming together in a bicameral and bipartisan way to get behind this meaningful and important piece of legislation. I want to encourage all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together to help give closure to the Koehl family, restore a sense of honor to our national cemeteries, and improve protocol so that an injustice like this will never happen again.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about choices. For my constituents, ObamaCare is about tough choices and about unfair choices. Barbara from Indianapolis recently logged on to my Web site to share her ObamaCare story, which is about her choices. She's a single mom trying to give her daughter the gift of a college education in a tough economy. President Obama's holiday gift to her, however, was a $200 increase in her monthly premium. Barbara wrote: For a single mother trying to put her child through college, it's too much. Where do I cut? My daughter's education? Medical coverage? A place to live? Food? For Barbara, the choices posed by the increased premium posed by ObamaCare are tough and unfair. Too many of my constituents are being forced to make these same unfair choices. They shouldn't have to choose between paying for college or paying for health insurance. Mr. Speaker, our choice is clear: the law is not working. Barbara and her daughter deserve a better path forward.